Houston has its share of exciting attractions. You have fantastic museums, city parks and much much more. But what if you want to do something different? Well if you want to do something different, something off of the beaten path, you can visit the Orange Show Monument.
The Orange Show Monument was created by a postman named Jeff McCissack. The monument uses castaway materials to pay tribute to his favorite fruit , the orange. McCissack started work on the monument in 1956 and finally finished it in 1979. He would pass away only a few months later. The monument was saved in 1980 when a group of citizens formed a non profit group to purchase and maintain it.
So what will you find at the Orange Show Monument. The monument is a multi level structure made from just about everything including bricks, tiles and assorted junk. As you tour the monument you will run into handmade signs and handcrafted statues and characters made from junk. Its quite a unique structure that will definitely give you something to talk about.
If you would like to visit the monument you can view it every weekend from the middle of March to the middle of December from 12 to 5. The monument is located at 2401 Munger Street and you can call 713-926-6368 for more information.
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The decades-long ban on photographing and filming in public places was lifted recently in Saudi Arabia.
Specifically the new ruling allows photographing and filming for all citizens and residents in public places. No such ban has ever been in place for photographing or filming in private settings.
Although the stated intent of the new ruling references the desert Kingdom’s on-going push to increase secular tourism, the wording does not directly include non-residents or tourists, and the implementation of the ruling is still to be tested.
Even with these newest freedoms on photographing and filming in the Kingdom, however, taking pictures continues to be a tricky proposition in Saudi Arabia. Many places remain off-limits to those with cameras or filming gear, including military installations, security personnel, government buildings and petroleum facilities - even when those places are in the deep background of shots.
And photographing people - especially local women - is still not allowed without direct permission, even in public settings. The traditional culture and beliefs of many Saudi Arabians include a deep commitment to privacy and modesty. In addition, some religious scholars contend depicting human images is forbidden in Islam which adds further weight to the prohibition.
Saudi Arabia offers photographers and film-makers an amazing variety of subjects - from towering sand dunes deep in the Rub Al-Khali to ancient archeological sites and the endless blue of the Arabian Gulf. And thanks to new ruling, the number of possible subjects just continues to grow.
Lori Olson White is an American expat writer and author living and working in Saudi Arabia. Her blog sandgetsinmyeyes.blogspot.com/ offers insights into life in the Middle East while her ezine arabiangulftraveler.blogspot.com/ gives travel tips and advice to tourists traveling to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain.
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Austin is an interesting place to visit. It is the capitol of Texas and as such it is one of the most important cities in the state. As symbol of that importance is the Governors mansion. Located at 1010 Colorado right next door to the capitol it is a sight to behold.
The Governor’s Mansion has housed every governor of the state of Texas since 1856. It was designed in 1854 by architect Abner Cook and was built in the Greek Revival style of architecture. It was completed on June 14, 1856 and its first resident was Governor Elisha Marshall Pease. Since this time the mansion has undergone many restorations and upgrades but has remained true to the original design of Abner Cook. The last restoration in 1991 was made possible by a $1 million dollar appropriation from the state legislature and an additional $3 million in private donations.
Visitors to the Mansion today will see a short 20 minute tour featuring an extensive collection of portraits and antique furniture which give a glimpse into the mansion’s and the state’s past history. Some of these items include Stephen F Austin’s writing desk, a couch from the estate of Governor Pease and various other historic artifacts. It is a tour that is very much worth taking.
If you would like to visit the mansion you can get more information at 512-463-5516. Tours are usually given between 10AM and Noon from Monday to Thursday. It is a limited time frame but you must keep in mind that this is after all still someone’s home. So if you find yourself in Austin pay the Governor’s mansion a visit.
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